Autumn : Is the season for letting go

The crisp cool air, leaves falling, shorter days and longer nights, nature is telling us Fall is here. (In Northern Texas anyways) It is a reminder as nature shifts we should shift with it.

Autumn is a great time to self reflect, change our routine and do more YIN! Let me explain. This time of years begins to be very busy, the holidays, baking cookies, shopping, party’s ect. All this busyness can create havoc in the body because nature is trying to tell us to “release and let go” maybe even make a purposeful pause throughout your day to enjoy the weather, listen to the birds and watch the trees blow in the wind as the leaves drift by you and the colors of the leaves and plants start to change. I feel it’s magic before my eyes.

Living in Phoenix, Arizona most of my life I didn’t really see much difference with the dessert. My fondest memory’s were from living in Rochester, New York until I was 10 years. We had plenty of seasonal change there , but here in Northern Texas there is a shift with nature. I currently live outside of the city and in what we call “the country” and change happens every day.

According to the Chinese Medicine there are 5 elements that are centrally related to the cycle of nature and will reflect the cycle of our bodies. The elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water and they take on their own emotion and organ system. Metal is heavy, condensed, solid. It represents a stillness or even a slowness not found in nature any other time. The trees literally draw their energy inward and the leaves do this magical dance before your eyes before they fall to the ground for their decent. Metal also is associated with the coming and going of life and it represents the Lungs and Large Intestine. In Yin yoga we move, create, and stimulate energy into 6-14 major organs. At this time of year we want to get plenty twist, forward folds, heart opener and rest to keep the body healthy.

We all know someone that gets bronchitis, the flu, or a cold at this time of year. If you know someone tell them this. Open, twist, fold and savasana every day! Or invite them to a Yin class… they will fall in LOVE because it allows you to make a purposeful pause with every pose.

If there is something you have been holding onto an experience, a situation, or conversation that plays over and over again in your mind (monkey mind) and you can’t let it go. This is the time and season to start fresh. “Life is a balance of holding on and letting go” Hold on to the things that serve you and let go of things that don’t. Neil Gumenick states: ”Trees in autumn don’t stubbornly hold onto their leaves because they might need them next year” So why do we hold on to a situation, negative thoughts for next year?

The bottom line is we know what to do. When we let go of attachments, expectations and that devil the “ego” We will be happier, and healthier.

I love this quote: “Who should be blamed when a leaf falls from a tree? Is it the wind that blew it away? or Is is the tree that let it go? or Is it the leaf who grew tired of holding on? Life unfolds a lot of misunderstandings everyday…every moment… It’s up to us to: Solve it or Leave it or Live with it.” Rishikajain.com

Don’t wait for the New Year to start fresh, start fresh this month.

Yin Yoga is very grounding practice. It is an open door to meditation. All poses should be held from 2 minutes to 5 minutes, eyes closed with a very natural breath. It allows you to go into your Parasympathetic Nervous System to rest the body, mind and digestive system.